Like many in the restaurant business, childhood friends Ike Grigoropoulos, Dimitri Moshovitis, and Ted Xenohristos sought a new service platform to bring their traditional Greek and Mediterranean cooking to more Washington, D.C., residents. The trio adapted their full-service concept, Cava Mezze...

When it comes to global expansion, international operators are quick to point to the U.S. as the gateway to success. Foodservice here is booming, with expected restaurant industry sales in 2014 surpassing $680 billion, according to the National Restaurant Association—and the limited-service sector...

Technomic is forecasting a nominal 3 percent growth rate for limited-service restaurants in 2015, so it doesn’t seem as if there will be any big changes in fast food in the coming year. Any positive effect produced by lower gas prices is likely to be canceled out by drought-induced higher food...

Coffee isn’t just a convenient caffeine jolt for Americans anymore. A recent Harris Interactive survey found that consumers are willing to travel for a good cup of Joe; 60 percent of respondents said the primary coffee shop they visit is not necessarily the closest one. Sixty-six percent of...

Every time a new year gets under way, there’s a combination of promise and anxiety, a very real hope that better days are ahead mixed with uneasiness about what issues or problems may be lying in wait.
That’s why predictions seem to be as much a part of a New Year’s celebration as champagne and the...

McDonald’s has long served as a de facto leader of the limited-service restaurant space. Far and away the largest quick-service company in the U.S. by system-wide sales, the Golden Arches has for generations been the model for fast-food stability and achievement, the benchmark against which all...

1. 8 Fast Food Trends for ’14
There is always excitement at the beginning of a new year, with renewed hopes of health, wealth, and happiness. It’s no different in the limited-service industry, where a year ago, brands were studying up on potential trends to ensure a prosperous 2014. These eight...

Putting a new twist on a company classic, Whataburger's new Honey Mustard Whatachick'n Club is now available for a limited time. The perfectly balanced flavors feature a combination of the sweetness and tanginess found in Whataburger's Signature Honey Mustard.

Smoothie Factory Juice Bar, a leading retailer of real fruit smoothies, fresh cold-squeezed juices, and nutritional products, is now open near the University of Arizona campus in Tucson. This new location is part of a seven-store multi-unit development agreement with franchisee John Wilfert, of...

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) is recognizing the contributions of many dynamic women, who through their vision, hard work, and dedication, have achieved success in restaurants and made the industry a leader in the national economy.

Papa Murphy's Holdings Inc., the world's leading take 'n' bake pizza franchise, announces a new partnership with Nutritionix, the industry leader in interactive nutrition solutions. As the largest national pizza chain to partner with Nutritionix, Papa Murphy's has launched a mobile-friendly and...

Creamistry, a popular liquid nitrogen ice cream concept, announced its further expansion in the Southern California area with plans to open five new locations. Located in Beverly Hills, Mission Viejo, Rancho Cucamonga, and two in Costa Mesa, the new stores are expected to open throughout 2015....

Rita’s Franchise Company, the franchise company of the world’s largest Italian Ice concept, Rita’s Italian Ice, announced it completed a refinancing of the company’s debt with leading lenders SunTrust Bank and Spring Capital Partners. The refinancing comes on the heels of the company’s...

PizzaRev opened two franchise locations in San Diego earlier this month. The build-your-own artisanal pizza shops are located at Scripps Ranch and Carmel Valley. To mark its entrance into the communities, PizzaRev hosted grand opening fundraisers to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater...

Tropical Smoothie Café announced today it is aggressively targeting North Carolina, and specifically the Charlotte market, for franchise growth. Over the next five years, the sandwich and smoothie franchise expects to open 20 locations throughout Greater Charlotte.

What can I possibly tell you about potatoes, dear quick-serve industry professional, that you don’t already know? It’s not as though you’re unacquainted with America’s favorite starch. You may even know that it’s the world’s fourth-largest food crop, trailing behind only rice, corn, and wheat,...

Like much of the rest of the economy, the 2008 economic meltdown brought a massive slow-down to the quick-service franchise industry. The combination of tightfisted money lenders and general economic uncertainty put franchise businesses in a near impossible position when it came to accessing...

When Lori Newcomb found out she had stage III ovarian cancer last year, she made it her mission to learn more about the disease and help other women fighting the same battle. She sat down with her husband, Chris Newcomb, cofounder and CEO of Southern quick-service chain Newk’s Eatery, and together...

Having started as a sandwich maker with Subway when he was 18 years old, Gurpreet Singh has spent nearly half his life in the quick-service industry. Now a Checkers franchisee, Singh has spent time in every quick-serve job imaginable: line worker, manager, general manager, and, today, franchisee....

What can I possibly tell you about potatoes, dear quick-serve industry professional, that you don’t already know? It’s not as though you’re unacquainted with America’s favorite starch. You may even know that it’s the world’s fourth-largest food crop, trailing behind only rice, corn, and wheat,...

While the fast-casual category continues to be the fastest-growing industry sector, the road in 2015 will be bumpy. We will see constant change and challenges around every corner. For industry leaders, there are issues that will keep even the most seasoned executive awake at night.
Here is my top...